Leviticus 13:1-59 ~ Mark 6:1-29 ~ Psalm 39:1-13 ~ Proverbs 10:10
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Old Testament - Today in Leviticus chapter 13 we read about contagious skin diseases and mildew. Quite a chapter! It does make sense to me that this level of detail is given by God on these topics. These instructions were health instructions for the community of Israel as a whole. The NIV Study Bible notes that "the ceremonially unclean were excluded from the camp (the area around the tabernacle and courtyard), where the Israelites lived in tents. Later, no unclean persons were allowed in the temple area, where they could mingle with others." I look at this from the standpoint that they did not have medicines back then to heal people of these contagious diseases - and as such, the only way to keep the diseases from spreading to the entire population was to isolate the sick. I know this doesn't sound compassionate on the surface... but was there a better option at that time? In the New Testament we read about Jesus curing people of leprosy, which was a couple of thousand of years later. It's obvious that skin diseases were a major issue in Moses' day and through Jesus' day - as was mildew during Israel's rainy season of October through March - particularly along the coast and by the Sea of Galilee where it is very humid. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Leviticus chapter 13 begins at this link and you'll see a few "Next Commentary" links at the bottom of each page to take you through the chapter.
On a side note, leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is still in existence in our world today, though at much lower incidence rates than ever before. It is a sad disease to learn about... I did a google image search on the word leprosy and was pretty shocked by the pictures. The World Health Organization's website says this - "Today, diagnosis and treatment of leprosy is easy. Essential work is being carried out to integrate leprosy services into existing, general health services. This is especially important for communities at risk for leprosy, which are often the poorest of the poor and under-served. Full control of leprosy has eluded mainly in some parts of Angola, Brazil, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, and United Republic of Tanzania." More info on leprosy in our world today is at the World Health Organization's website at this link.
All of a sudden now these 3 verses about Jesus and leprosy in Matthew chapter 8 verses 1 through 3 really stand out to me... - "When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy."
New Testament - Today we read in Mark Chapter 6 verse 4– “Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” This verse reminds me that sometimes when we really move forward in our faith, our friends (“hometown” from the verse above) and our relatives can sometimes not understand what is going on with us. I think there are phases of our walk with God where really it becomes very personal – between us and God – and through that process God will transform us. And our friends and relatives sometimes may not appreciate our change for various reasons – just as Jesus’ friends and relatives did not appreciate his ministry in this verse. I hope that this verse can be of comfort to you if by chance you are having challenges reconciling your faith and your changed heart with your friends & relatives expectations of who you were in the past. Know that you are on the right path. As long as you are staying focused on God and his will for your life, you may have to accept some loss of “honor” (per the verse above) in your status with your friends and relatives. You may not seem to be as “cool” or “fun” as you once were in your friends’ eyes. But – if in God’s eyes you are loving Him with all of your heart and you are loving your neighbors as yourself, then you are eternally cool and fun in the Kingdom of Heaven. And that’s where it really counts. Where are you seeking “honor” in your life today? In the eyes of your friends and relatives – or in God’s eyes?
An image for verses 18 & 19: "John kept telling Herod, "It is illegal for you to marry your brother's wife." Herodias was enraged and wanted John killed in revenge, but without Herod's approval she was powerless." -
Psalms - Today we read in Psalm 39 verse 5 – “My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath." This verse is a powerful verse for each of us to meditate upon.
I love verse 7 of this Psalm - "And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you." Is this true of your life today? Are you putting your hope anywhere else?
Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 10 verse 10 today teaches us - "People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace." This is a great reminder that in the long run it is so much better - more peaceful - to stand up to an injustice or wrong. We should not let things slide. I think this can apply to our own lives as well. If we know we ourselves are doing something wrong, we should not just "wink" at our wrong. But we must reproof it and confess it and let Jesus heal it.
Worship God: Based on our Leviticus on clean and un-clean, and how Jesus is our only hope and salvation for eternal cleanliness, I'm reminded of Brandon Heath's great video about being changed by Christ called "I'm not Who I Was":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrGfA6y9fNI
Are you who you were? Click here to be made clean!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: "Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered — how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath." Psalm 39:4-5 NLT
Prayer Point: Pray that God will remind you daily of how brief your time on earth is. Pray that you would live each day fully for the Lord in light of the brevity of your life.
Comments from you & Questions of the Day: Back to Psalm 39 verse 5 above - how does this verse speak to you? Do you feel like life moves fast sometimes? If so, how are you spending your time? Are you being intentional about how you invest your time? Are you being intentional about your work? Your friends? Your finances? Volunteering? Serving others? Loving others? Watching TV – or not watching TV? (Have I gone off on my “Kill Your Television” soap-box yet this year? :) I’ll save it for a future post...) Do you think life really is “but a breath”? Are you spending your breath wisely? With your breath are you constantly loving God with all your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Love, Trust, and Obey Jesus,
Mike
Leviticus 13:1-59
The Hebrew word translated in the NLT text, “appears,” appears ten times in the thirteenth chapter,
4758
מראה
mar'eh
BDB Definition:
1) sight, appearance, vision
1a) sight, phenomenon, spectacle, appearance, vision
1b) what is seen
1c) a vision (supernatural)
1d) sight, vision (power of seeing)
Each of the ten times this word appears it has to do with discerning the truth about a “skin” disease or “sin.” Something can “appear” to be something but upon close examination, and not just over a short period of time, and with stated guidelines, the dis-ease is identified. Appearance and actuality are two separate things.
In this passage, the focus is something that “breaks out” on the skin, on the surface, looking like a “skin” disease and to insure that no one is tagged wrongly, close observation is needful. But there is another type of appearance, that of one that seems healthy and holy, but in actuality the disease, though not on the surface, has permeated the inside where the eyes of the priests cannot see.
Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously. (John 7:24 AMP)
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. (Matthew 23:27-28 KJV)
Grace and peace,
Ramona
Posted by: Ramona | February 21, 2011 at 10:39 PM
Leviticus 13:1-59
This chapter discusses skin disease and the protocol the priest was to follow concerning it. If someone was diagnosed with an infectious skin disease, they were put outside the camp until it was healed and no longer infectious. For some reason this triggered thoughts of the way sin also puts us outside the camp, isolated from the body of Christ. Leprosy was a dreaded and feared disease in the time of Leviticus; the symptoms of leprosy and sin have similar properties. Sin isolates us; it spreads throughout the whole body and causes a deadening of sensitivity which disables our warning light.
Another scripture that stood out was Psalm 39:5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.
Life is oh so short. When I was a teenager I never really thought about how short life is but now that I am older this has really sunk in. My third grade summer vacation seemed to last an eternity, probably because I was having such a great time living every moment to the fullest. Everyone’s life is but a mere breath. We should meditate on this startling reality instead of deadening it with distractions. Life is a vapor trail. The best way to slow life down is enter into the presence of the Lord walking with God.
As I study God’s word and my priorities shift, my perspective on how short life is changes. I don’t worry about the shortness of life anymore and yet I feel an increased urgency to focus on what’s really important, my relationship with God and the way I relate with people. The closer I move towards Him, the clearer this all becomes.
Posted by: Steve T | February 22, 2011 at 09:17 AM